ILOILO City – The prevalence of stunting, wasting and overweight/obesity in Region 6 is decreasing, data from the National Nutrition Council (NNC) 6 showed.
Stunting is defined as low height-for-age. It is the result of chronic or recurrent undernutrition, usually associated with poverty, poor maternal health and nutrition, frequent illness and/or inappropriate feeding and care in early life.
Stunting prevents children from reaching their physical and cognitive potential, according to the World Health Organization.
On the other hand, wasting is defined as low weight-for-height. It often indicates recent and severe weight loss, although it can also persist for a long time. It usually occurs when a person has not had food of adequate quality and quantity and/or has had frequent or prolonged illnesses.
Stunting and wasting are forms of undernutrition, or not getting enough nutrients.
Here is the prevalence rate of stunting, wasting and overweight/obesity in the region from 2018 to 2022:
* Stunting – 2018 (8.45 percent), 2019 (7.64 percent), 2020 (7.13 percent), 2021 (6.85 percent), and 2022 (5.15 percent)
* Wasting – 2018 (2.62 percent), 2019 (2.53 percent), 2020 (2 percent), 2021 (1.85 percent), and 2022 (1.41 percent)
* Overweight/obesity – 2018 (2.3 percent), 2019 (2.25 percent), 2020 (2 percent), 2021 (2.62 percent), and 2022 (2.01 percent).
According to Sheryl Sedantes, officer-in-charge Nutrition Program Coordinator of NNC-6, the prevalence rate for stunting, wasting and obesity is measured through “Operation Timbang Plus” (OPT) in children from zero to 59 months old.
In 2022, 588,246 children in the region underwent OPT.
Sedantes said factors that contributed to the decrease in malnutrition were the following:
* Full support of local government units (LGUs) in actively creating or developing a Local Nutrition Action Plan that serves as a guide for the implementation of nutrition programs.
“Before, gamay lang sa mga LGUs ang may Local Nutrition Action Plan. But this year, through our inventory and pagpamangkot sa LGUs kon may ara sila plans for nutrition, I think ang paghatag sang budget sa nutrition programs, isa ina sa mga factors,” said Sedantes.
* Intensive dissemination of information and raising awareness among the general public, especially among mothers, on how to give proper nutrition to children and their first 1,000 days (zero to two years) that begin during pregnancy.
* LGUs’ adoption of the Tutok Kainan Dietary Supplementation Program with NNC among pregnant women and children aged six to 23 months old.
“Ini sila nga age group medyo na-left out kay pag-abot sa daycare may ara na ya nga supplementary feeding through the Department of Social Welfare and Development Office. Pag-abot sa elementary school may ara man sila gihapon nga supplementary program through the Department of Education. So, who caters to these groups, the pregnant women and children aged six months to 23 months? Wala. That is why we also encourage the LGUs to adopt the Tutok Kainan Dietary Supplementation Program,” said Sedantes.
She also credited the different programs and technical assistance extended to some areas by non-government organizations.
Here is the breakdown of the prevalence rate of stunting, wasting and overweight or obesity in 2022 per province and city category (top five).
Stunting (province category)
* Antique (9.83 percent)
* Negros Occidental (7.34 percent)
* Iloilo (5.37 percent)
* Aklan (4.87 percent)
* Guimaras (4.84 percent)
* Capiz (4.49 percent)
Wasting (province category)
* Negros Occidental (2.19 percent)
* Antique (2.11 percent)
* Aklan (1.65 percent)
* Iloilo (1.33percent)
* Capiz (1.21 percent)
* Guimaras (0.88 percent)
Overweight and obesity (province category)
* Capiz (2.96 percent)
* Guimaras (2.96 percent)
* Aklan (2.85 percent)
* Antique (2.79 percent)
* Iloilo (2.72 percent)
* Negros Occidental (1.73 percent)
Stunting (city category)
* San Carlos City, Negros Occidental (12.12 percent)
* Escalante City, Negros Occidental (5.29 percent)
* Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental (4.61 percent)
* Passi City, Iloilo (4.52 percent)
* La Carlota City, Negros Occidental (4.42 percent)
Wasting (city category)
* San Carlos City, Negros Occidental (5.25 percent)
* Escalante City, Negros Occidental (2.97 percent)
* Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental (1.31 percent)
* Victorias City, Negros Occidental (1.05 percent)
* Silay City, Negros Occidental (1.04 percent).
Overweight and obesity (city category)
* San Carlos City, Negros Occidental (3.64 percent)
* Iloilo City (2.32 percent)
* Roxas City, Capiz (2.28 percent)
* Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental (1.68 percent)
* Sipalay City, Negros Occidental (1.56 percent)./PN
